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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
House: FMAE DPA 5-2-0-0 | Third Read 56-0-4-0-0Senate: Third Read 27-1-2-0 Chapter: 1 |
HB 2022: elections; July primary; curing; observers
Sponsor: Representative Kolodin, LD 3
Signed by the Governor
Overview
An emergency measure that changes the primary election date to the second-to-last Tuesday in July. Changes, for elections that include a federal office, the ballot signature cure deadline to five calendar days. Allows nomination and local initiative petition forms circulated with the former August primary election date to remain valid for the new primary election date.
History
Currently, political subdivisions in Arizona that conduct both a primary election and a general election may only hold candidate elections during even-numbered years and on the following dates:
1) beginning in 2020 and later, the first Tuesday in August for the primary election; and
2) the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November for the general election.
Political subdivisions that conduct only a single candidate election may hold that election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Special and recall elections may be held on these same dates and, in addition, on the second Tuesday in March and the third Tuesday in May of an even-numbered year. As currently enacted, the next primary election for many political subdivisions is scheduled for August 4, 2026 (A.R.S. § 16-204).
The county chairman of each political party may designate, for each precinct, party representatives and alternates to observe and act as challengers only at polling places located within the precinct (A.R.S. § 16-590).
Provisions
1. Decreases, from within 10 calendar days after a general election that includes an election for a federal office to within 7 calendar days, the time period in which a provisional ballot must be compared to the signature roster for the precinct in which the voter was listed. (Sec. 1)
2. Clarifies that a provisional ballot must be compared to the signature roster for the precinct in which the voter was listed within five calendar days after the election, rather than business days, for any election other than one that includes a federal election. (Sec. 1)
3. Adjusts the day on which primary elections are required to be held from the first Tuesday in August to the second-to-last Tuesday in July and reflects that adjustment in statute where election days are outlined as not legal holidays. (Sec. 2, 4)
4. Amends, for candidate elections beginning in 2026, the required day for primary or first elections in even-numbered years to be held to the second-to-last Tuesday in July. (Sec. 3)
5. Clarifies that non-candidate elections beginning in 2026, including special and recall elections, may be held on the second-to-last Tuesday in July, rather than the first Tuesday in August, in addition to other dates outlined by statute. (Sec. 3)
6. Allows the county chairman of each party, for each ballot replacement location, to designate a party representative and alternates to serve as observers and specifies a party representative must be a resident of Arizona and registered to vote in Arizona. (Sec. 5)
7. Allows the county chairman of each party to designate, for each precinct or location, a party agent or representative and alternates for a polling place in the precinct and at any voting center, including an in-person early voting location and an emergency voting location, who may act as challengers for the party which appointed him. (Sec. 6)
8. Clarifies, as session law, that a person who collects signatures for the 2026 primary election and uses a petition, nomination paper form or electronic petition before, on or after the effective date of the act with the former primary election date of August 4, 2026 on the form or petition may lawfully submit those signatures for the 2026 primary election to be held July 21, 2026. (Sec. 7)
9. States, as session law, that signatures collected with the August 4, 2026, primary election date that are submitted as prescribed and otherwise comply with legal requirements are deemed as valid as signatures collected that have the newly designated primary election date and may not be ruled invalid due to the changed primary election date or for any clerical error by an election official. (Sec. 7)
10. Prohibits, as session law, a filing officer from rejecting nomination papers, petitions or signatures based solely on the date of the primary election and specifies that the prohibition applies to the online signature collection system provided by the Secretary of State. (Sec. 7)
11. Allows, as session law, any city, town or county initiative petition that is circulated before, on or after the effective date of this act and that is on a petition form that includes the former primary election date to lawfully submit those petitions and signatures for the primary election to be held on July 21, 2026. (Sec. 7)
12. States, as session law, that a person does not need to file a new or amended statement of interest based solely on the change in the 2026 primary election date. (Sec. 7)
13. Requires, as session law, that any election item that was duly called by a city, town or county for the August 4, 2026, primary election date must be placed on the ballot for the newly designated primary election date of July 21, 2026. (Sec. 8)
14. Contains a legislative intent clause. (Sec. 9)
15. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 6)
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19. Initials GG HB 2022
20. 2/10/2026 Page 0 Signed by the Governor
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